Acetylene-gas generator



4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.) I 1 Q T. A. BRYAN 8v J. H. COUPER.

AGBTYLENB GAS GENERATOR.

P Ltented May 3, 1898.

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afl/(J wl/ATTORNEY# a (No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. A. BRYAN & J. H. OOUPER. AGETYLBNE GAS' GBNERATUR.

No. 603,397. Patented May s, 1898.

WITNESSES zo ai@ HT ORNEYU 4 Y Y l A 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

T. BRYAN 8v J. H.COUPER. AETYLENB GAS GENERATOR.

No. 603,397. Patented May 3, 1898.

(No Model.)

wiTNEssEs INVENTORQ/ v I Y WVATTOMIIaYSI/ 4 sheets-sheet (No Model.) v Y'T. A. BRYAN 8v J COUPE-:Rg .v .'AGBTYLENE GAS GENERATOR. f y v `N0.603,397.l A Patented May 3,1898.V l

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l UNITED STATES PATENT' Ormea.

THOMAS A. BRYAN AND-JAMES n. CO,UPER F BALTiMoRE, MARYLAND.

AcETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR'.

srnoirren'rron forming part of Letters Paeeneivo. 603,397, dated may3,1898.

' i. Application led January 6, 1898. `Serial No. 665,730. (No modela)To ZZ whom it may corto-.eral- Beit known that we, T HoMAs A.BRYAN and-J AMES H. COUPER, citizens ofthe United States of America, andresidents of Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements'in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of whichthefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to a machine for generating acetylene gas by theunion of calcium carbid withwater, and has for its object the A makingof a compact, inexpensive, and effil cient apparatus which can bepractically used by personswithout much mechanical skill for thegeneration of acetylene gas for .use in houses. l 1 i L In the drawingssimilar numbers represent the same parts in* the various iigures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, .partly in vertical section, of the generating apparatus and the gasometer. Fig, 2 is a plan of the machine.Fig. 3 is-an enlarged planof .the generator. Fig. 4 is 'a verticalelevation of the generator, a portion of the bell thereof be-4 ing cutaway to show the interior apparatus 4in full elevation and partly insection. Fig. 5 is a plan of the ratchet, showing the indicater. Fig. 6is a plan ofthe carbid-receptacle. Fig. 7 is a vertical section ofthesame. Fig. 8 is a plan of thegrating-support for the carbid-receptacle.Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the same on` the line m' of Fig. 8.

tween these two cylinders or cans is water- Referring tothe drawings, 1is the permanent casing or can of the generator. 2 is aninteriorcylinder secured to the same bottom as the can or casing 1, andthe interspace betight to receive oil` or Water to water-seal thegenerator.l

3 isa water-can provided with a bail 4 and f adapted to stand inside ofthe cylinder 2 and to be filled with water for the purpose of generating gas. It is important in an apparatus f' of this .character thatthe carbid should be v the gas capable ofbeing given oi. by itshouldplunged suddenly intoy the water, and all of be given off immediately.Experiment has demonstrated that this action produces the mostsatisfactory result.

o; x 5 is the bell ofthe generator, closed at' the ij top and open atthe bottom. 1t is suspended "'abo'vc.. thecans 1, 2, and, inclosirigcans `3 and 2 and sliding inside of the can 1 and into the water or oilcontained between the cans 1 and 2. In the upper end of this cylinder isarranged the apparatus for delivering carbid to the water for thepurpose-of generatdetailhereinafter, and consists generally of arevolving pan or carrier divided into eight sections, seven of which arecharged with carbid, and at proper intervals this carbid is dropped fromthe said receptacle into the can 3 and into the water for the generationof gas.

6 is afunnel arranged upon the interior of the bell or cylinder 5,'secured to its interior immediately over the can 3, so as to direct anddeliver both water and carbid into the can.

7 isa funnel for the reception of water to charge the can 4. Theinterior end of the pipe connected to the funnel 7 projects into thefunnel 6. This pipe in practice will be provided'with a stop-cock toclose it, and if the machine is placed in a permanent position it willprobably be desirable to connect the pipe supplying water to the funnel6 with a permanent Water-supply.

Sisabail secured-to the exterior' of the bell lor cylinder and adaptedto be connected with a suitable hoisting device, such as 9, forthe'purpose of raising the bell 5 out of the may be done by simply7raising the cylinder 5,

means of the block and fall 9, and swinging it o of the can 1. vided forthe purpose of receiving the bell 5 when it is lifted out of the can 1,and has a iiange around its edge and is so connected may drain -thecan 1. When the bell 5 is removed from th'e can 1, the can 3 may then beremoved by the same block and fall by means of the bail 4, emptied, andreplaced.

10 is the gast-pipe, the open end of which projects into the gas-spacewithin the bell 5 and-above the level of the Water or oil in the cani,and thence proceeds into the gas-space of the gasometegb 11 is arvalvein said pipe `between the generator and gasometer.

The platform l is pro-- ing gas. This apparatus will be described insurface, and the contracted mouth standing 8" which vis suspended from asuitable crane by .D

with thecan 1 that whatever water or oil olf of the bell 5 will vrunback into roo 12 is .the upturned end of the same ppe,delivering gasinto the gasometer. The gasometer consists of three parts similar to thegenerator.

13 is an exterior cylinder, 14 an interior cylinder, both stationary,the interspace between them being filled with oil or water.

15 is a bell or cylinder closed at the top and open at the bottom, whichenters the interspace between cylinders 13 and 14 and is sealed by thewater or oil contained therein.

16 is the gas-escape pipe, which has anexit from the gasometer at thebottom, but which rises nearly to the top and is open at the other end.17 is a valve in said pipe upon the exterior of the gasometer to controlthe outfiowing gas.

18 and 19 are two support-rods connected to the pipes 10 and 16 on eachside of the gasometer and stayed to the upper end of the can 13 andconnected together at the top by means of a yoke 20. The guide 19 isonlya guide, while the guide 18 serves the additional function of asafety-valve pipe. It is connected at its lower end to the pipe 16, andat the upper end it is provided with agsafetyvalve 18a. 18b is a valvestem and handle for said safety-valve, which projects over the bell ofthe gasometer and into its path and will be struck by the gasometer whenit rises to the upper extremity of its path` of motion. Thus if anunusual generation of gas should take place sufficient to rupture theapparatus or to force the fiuid out of the gasometer the bell 15 willrise and strike the valve-handle 18h, open the valve, and permit the gasto escape.

21 21 are guide-rollers secured in brackets upon the top of the bell ofthe gasometer and traveling upon the guide-rods 18 and 19.

22 is a pipe secured into the top of the bell 15 and dropping therefromdown into the bell v and closed at the bottom. This pipe is shown in thedrawings partly full andrpartly in section and serves as a pocket andguide for the weight 24.

23 is a cord which passes throughthe eyelet 31 in the center of the topof the bell 15 and to the extremity of which is secured the weight 24,which slides up and down in the pipe 22 as the bell rises and falls.

25, 26, 27, and 28 are pulleys over which the rope 23 passes, and 29 isanother weight, heavier than 24, secured to the other extremity of therope 23.

30 is a stop secured `upon the rope 23 at a desired point and serving tohold the rope in a stationary position against the pull of .the weight29, which is heavier than the weight 24.

The pulley 25 is mounted in a bracket upon the top and center of theyoke 20. The pulley 26 is mounted in a bracket upon the top of theguide-rod 19. The pulley 27is mounted upon a bracket secured to t-heside of the bell 5, and the pulley 28 is similarly mounted in a bracketupon thc opposite side of the bell 5.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, 32 is a vertical shaft which passesthrough the center of the top 31 of the bell 5 and through thestufng-box 44 therein for the purpose of maintaining a gas-tight jointat that point.

34 is a grating-partition which is secured to the interior walls of thebell 5 and is provided with suitable openings for the purposes whichwill be hereinafter described. In the center of this grating is a step33, into which the foot of the shaft 32 fits and upon which it rests.

35 is a hand-wheel secured tothe upper end of the shaft. 36 is a leveror arm journaled .upon said shaftand provided on its extremity with anarc 37, the exterior surface of which has two grooves 38 and 39. Therope 23 is divided and one end of it lies in one of said grooves and issecured to one end of said are, while the other end lies in the othergroove and is secured tothe other end of said are. This arrangementpermits the lever 36 to be turned by the rope 23 while at the same timemaintaining the rope always tangent to the are 37. On the opposite sideof the shaft 32 from the lever 36 is a counterbalanceweight 40, and uponthe side of this counterbalance-weight is secured a pawl 41, pivotedupon a boss 42.

43 is a ratchet-wheel secured to the shaft 32 immediately below thelever 36 and which is engaged by the pawl 41, so as to be turned by it.A plan view of this ratchet-wheel is shown in Fig; 5, and numbers areplaced upon the surface'of the wheel, so as to indicate arbitrarily theposition of the buckets or boxes within the bell 5 when the apparatus isclosed.

43a is a pointer, mounted upon the top 31, which cooperates with thenumbersabove r'- ferred to for the purpose specified.

45 is the pan or carbid-carrier. It is shown in Figs. 4, 6, and 7 andconsists of'a circular shallow pan divided into eight compartments byradial partitions. The divisions of the carrier are marked 46 46 46,dce., and 47. Each of the compartments 46 46 is provided with a bottom,which is hinged to the radial partition at one side and provided onitsexterior with a roller 49 upon theopp'osite edge. The section 47 ispermanently closed. The car- IOO IIO

rier 45 is secu red to the shaft 32 by means of Y a set-screw passingthrough a boss surrounding the shaft, and the carrier is revolved bymeans of the shaft. The grating 34 lies immediately below the carrier45and is provided with a circular track 50 immediately below the rollers49, which rests upon it. The track 50 has one removable section 51 inthe Space 66, which is capable of being raised or lowered into or out ofposition bythe action of a lever mechanism. When raised, the track 50 iscontinuous. When lowered, a section of the track will be vacant. Thesection 51 is securedto a rock-shaft 52 by means of a collar andset-screw 53. The rock-shaft 52 is journaled in a hole 54, drilled inone of the anges of the grating 34, and in a stuffing-box 55,located inthe side wall of the bell 5,through which it passes and by which agas-tight joint is made. Upon the extremity ot' the rockshaft 52 issecured a lever 56, to the extremity of which is fasteneda pitman-rod57,the otherl end ofwhich is secured. to a lever 5 8, fastened upon therock-shaft 59. Said rock-shaft forms the pin ofthe hinge of the cover60-of the carbid-inletorchargingfhole 62. The cover 60 is. rigid-lysecured to the shaft 59 by means ofv the lsetscrew 61 and is adaptedwhen raised to rock the shaft 59, turn the levers 58 and 5 6 by thepitman 57, turn the rock-shaft 52, and raise the section of track 51into position, so

' as to make the track 50 continuous.

62fis the charging-hole, through which the boxes or sections of thecarrier 45 are.y charged I with carbid. It consists of a cylinder boltedto the top 31l of the bell 5 and having the cover 60 fitted thereto andprovided with a gasket to make a gastight joint.

63 is a yoke pivoted to the sides of the cylinder 62 and provided with ascrew and handvwheel 64, the screw threaded into the center of the yoke,by which -pressure may be-ap plied to the'top of the cover 60 to forceit down uponthe gasket and make a gas-tight joint.

The operation of the device is as follows:

' The can 3 is irst'lled with water to the desired. level, the cover 60removed from the charging-hole 62, the pan '45 turned around bymeans ofthe hand-wheel 35, the pawl 41 having been raised out of engagement withthe ratchet 43 until the first box-,46, which on the dial-plate upon theratchet registers 5,

- continuous.

stands under the charging-hole 62. The rais in g of the cover 60.hasmeanwhile restored the movable, section 51 and, made the track 50 Asuitable quantity of carbid :y is then charged into the box 46, and there-4 maining b oxes numbered 46 are each in sucr cession charged with asuitable quantity of carbid. When the lastv box47, which is adummy-f-that is to say, a box which is in'operative and has a solidbottom-comes under the charging-hole, the cover 60 may be lowered andsecured in place.

The lowering of the cover drops the movable section 51' of the track 50,and if the box 47 had a hinged bottom carbid would be thus du'mped intothe water and gas generated before the cover 'The cover 60 may then besecurely fastened\ into place. and thehand-wheel turned, rotating'thecarbid-carrier and the ratchet-wheel from the position 'indicated by O"opposite the pointer to thepositionindicated by 51 opposite thepointer. 'In this position, the secv tion of track 51 being down and thespace 66' l too much gas is generated, the be l1 15 will strike thesafety-valve handlev and allow some.

being open, thebottom of the rstbox 46'will fall andrdump its contentsof carbid into the v water. The pawl may thenbe placed in-"en-v gagementwith the ratchet, gas willbei geni' erated, and the gasometer filleduntil the.v bell 15 rises-to the'top 4of'fit's path of motions- .If

of it to escape. As the gas is consumed thel Y bell`15 will descend, andwhen it reaches the -position shown in-Fig. l of, the drawings, nearthe'bottom ofjits path ofmotion, theeyelet 31a will strike upon the topof the weight 24 and draw the weightand the cord 23 down against'thepull of the counterbalance-weight it-that is to say, another box-to bebrought Over the opening 66 in the grating 34, when the bottom of thatsection will fall, and a fresh charge of carbid will`be delivered to thewater. upon the rope 23 in relationto the position of the bell 15 that.as the bell 15 descends a sufiicient motion will be given to the rope 23to turn the carbid-receptacle one-eighth of a revolution, and therebybring another box over the open space 66 in the grating- 34. This is allarranged bythe adjustment of the stop 30 and the weight 29. When the gasis generated and the bell 15 rises, the weight 29 will v'draw'the weight24 up and cause the lever 36 to turn; but they pawl 41 will slip overthe ratchet 43 and not move it until it assumes a new position ready tomove the carbid-receptacle again. It will thus be seen that by thisapparatus the carbidis subdivided into s even vdierent portions, eachheld distinctly independent and delivered'into the waterin suitablequantities by a sudden plunge as it is needed and automatically.

It will be readily observed by a mechanic skilled in the art'of makingapparatus like that herein described that the generatingzdef vice mightbe mounted upon the top of the gasometer andthe water-'cantor thereception of the Icarbid placed withinthe gasometer. It would then onlybe amatter of mechanical adjustment to arrange the cord 23, so as to be.operated by the rise and fallof The weight v24 is'of coursev so located`IOO IIO

the bell 15, to produce a result identical with with a gasometer; thecarbid-receptacle having means through which it may be charged or lledand being divided into compartments, all' except one, which ispermanetly closed,

vhaving'hinged bottomswhich rest upon a Isupport provided with an openlsection so lo cated as to permit the hinged bottomsot the 'icompartments to fall anddurnp their contents into the tank as they passover it, means forglosing this open section' inthe support so arrngedand connected with the means .forl

.charging/or filling the carbidfreceptacle that whenfthe meansforcharging'or filling the jcarbid-receptacle is open oractive lthe openingin the support below the carrier will be closed, and viceversa,substantially as shown.

2. In an ace tylene-gas generator the combination, of a water-tank and acarbid-receptacle, with a gasometer, the carbid-receptacle consisting ofa carrier divided into compartments, each having a hinged bottom, exceptone which is solid, said bottoms being pro-` vided With rollers, apermanent 'support beloW the carrier provided with a track upon whichthe rollers of the bottoms rest, and by which they are supported, thesupport and track having a movable section which, when open will permitthe bottom of one of the said compartments to fall as it passes oversaid section and dump its contents of carbid into the Water, thecl1a1gingl1oleinthe top of the gasometer fr, r charging carbid into therecep-v tacle provided with a cover, means for connecting the cover withthe movable section of' track of the support adapted to maintain themovable section of track in place and support the' bottoms of all of thecompartments when the cover of the charging-hole is open and to drop thesection of track and leave the open section for dumping when the cover,of the charging-hole is closed, substantially as described.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator the combination, of a Water-tank and acarbid-receptacle, with a gasometer, the carbid-receptacle consisting ofa carrier, divided into compart-A journaled upon the shaft and carryinga pawl which engages and operates the ratchet, said lever beingconnected at its extremity to a cord which passes ovei a series ofpulleys,

and each end of which is provided with a Weight, one being heavier thanthe other, a stop upon the cord to limit its motion under the influenceof the heavier Weight and means connecting the other engl of thecord'with the bell of the gasometer whereby as the said bell descends itwill pull the cord and operate it and the lever and carrier against thepull of the heavier Weight.

4. In an asctylene-gas generator the combination of a gasometer, havingan opening through which the carbid for charging the generator issupplied, said opening having a removable cap, a carbid -carriercontained Within the gasometer, and a support under the carrier, saidsupport having a movable section connected to the cap in such a way thatthe act of opening the cap closes the movable section of the support,and thc act of closing the cap opens the movable section of the support.

L 5. In an acetylene-gas generator,tl1e combination of a gasometerhaving an4 opening inI the top through which the carbid for charging thegenerator is supplied, said opening having a removable ca p, acarbid-carrier coutained within the gasometer, said carrier beingdivided into a number of compartments having hinged bottoms except onewhich is permanently closed, rollers attached to the bottoms, and aSupport under the carrier having a track upon which the rollers rest, ascc tion o f the track being hinged and connected by a system of leversto the removable cap on the top of the gasometer, so that the act ofremoving the cap closes the track, and the act of closing the can opensthe track, all arranged and constructed substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

Signed by us at Baltimore, Maryland, this 3d day of January, 1898.

THOMAS A. BRYAN. JAMES II. COUPER.

